Picasso clown questions?

[koda_dad]

I have to make a decision by tomorrow...and I have no idea what to do.... need some advice.

First off...some background.....It started off as a pair of Picassos...one died in the first 2 days.

The store I purchased them from cannot get me another one.

My Picasso's is behaviour is a little frustrating.. he has hosted the powerhead in the top back left corner of my tank. He spends 95% of his day there. He swims up and down... a little bit aways and then straight back. The weird part is when I turn the powerheads off...he is a COMPLETELY different fish. He swims all over the tank, very active and generally seems to be having a blast. The moment the powerheads come back on....poof straight to the hosting spot again.

I know this question has been asked and the general answer is....no its not too much flow. But...

If he rarely leaves his hosting spot except when the powerheads are off.... and then when they are off he clown swims all around the tank exploring. Might flow be the prob?

Here is my flow details...
I have a 33 gallon.

It has 2 - Koralia 2's, (600gph each x2= 1200gph), 1 - Koralia 450 (450 gph), and a Maxijet 1200 (295 gph) running the skimmer.

Total flow = 1945 gph /33 = 58.93X

Could this much flow be stressing him out?

If collectively everyone thinks it is not too much flow...any thoughts on getting him to leave the the powerhead hosting spot?

The store I purchased him at has also given me the ability to return him (as they know I wanted a pair)

One last bit of info...I have found picassos (only grade C - mine is grade A) at another store.

Should I:

a) return my picasso and buy 2 of the grade c from the other store.

b) keep my picasso and buy 1 of the grade C from the other store

c) keep mine and wait for another grade a?

d) return mine and wait for another pair of grade a?

It is my understanding the Picasos are just true perc's so although the other stores fish are grade C they should still pair up providing I can get a fish that is smaller?

Would my chance of getting a pair increase at all with getting 2 of the grade C instead of trying to pair up with my existing?

One last bit of info is that my picasso has been without his partner for 3 weeks and is still very small.

Any input appreciated.

 

[Smitty]

Your clown is just being a clown :) , nothing abnormal about him hosting the powerhead. I would keep him, and just get another one at a later time, they'll eventually pair up in due time. If you get another small one while they are both small, you have a better chance of them becoming a pair, because they have yet to start thinking about changing their sex. Good luck!

 

[koda_dad]

Thats one of the questions I couldnt find an answer to...When they changed their sex and once changed.....could they change back?

 

[Smitty]

They're all males at first, but when they change to females, I believe they stay female...that's why if it's still small, and the both of them were the same size, chances are its still a male, and you should get another one soon being the same size or smaller. Now if you know you have a female, that's why its recommended to get a much smaller one, cause its still a male, and they won't have to fight for dominance.

 

[messiah023]

Koda,

May be too much flow in the tank.
I have a 30 with (1) K1 and (1) Tunze.
The flow from these is actually too much as it blows the sand to bare bottom on one corner of the tank most of the time.

If the clown is not going into the main tank unless the PH is off, it's a good sign he is being bombarded by current and cannot swim easily in the flow.

You may want to scale down a bit on the PH. Or try to reposition them.
I have used a plug-in sliding lamp dimmer before that will essentially draw back some power to the PH plugs and cause the PH to slow down a bit.

You can also move the "hosted' PH to the other side of the tank and see what happens.

 

[Sharkie]

what do you mean by grade a or c fish? o_o I've never heard of a store grading their fish.. honestly they are all fish and all awesome no matter the grade... its not like you're eating them like meat or eggs so why grade them? I'd say just go with getting the other fish

 

[BL1]

Sharkie, there's an explanation of the grading here: Grade Examples

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah, the grades are based on how "perfect" their patterns and colors are. Kind of like dog breeds.

 

[Sharkie]

wow, i didn't know they did that for fish...

even with dogs my thing is this: if the dogs personality is a good one, who cares what the dog looks like LOL. my new dog for example :p shepherd, lab, pit, doberman who knows what else mix, but shes got a winning personality :)

 

[RyanG]

Be careful with your Picassos they ARE jumpers. I have lost two of my own and my LFS owner has lost many to jumping. Something in them just makes them more prone to it I believe, normal Perc's just don't jump...